Sharks trade Dan Boyle for draft pick

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks traded defenseman Dan Boyle to the New York Islanders on Thursday in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2015 NHL draft.

If Boyle re-signs with New York before the start of the 2014-15 regular season, the draft pick becomes a fourth-round selection in the 2015 draft.

Boyle, 37, can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and was not going to be brought back by the Sharks. Boyle and general manager Doug Wilson could not agree on the length of a potential contract extension, and Wilson said last month he wants to rely more on younger players next season.

Reached via text message by this newspaper, Boyle declined to comment. But Boyle's agent, George Bazos, said he was unaware the Islanders were interested in the veteran defenseman until after the trade was announced.

San Jose Sharks' Dan Boyle (22) reacts to a missed scoring opportunity against the Los Angeles Kings in the second period for Game 5 of an NHL first-round playoff series at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, April 26, 2014. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
(
Nhat V. Meyer
)

Since then, Bazos said, Islanders general manager Garth Snow had talked with both himself and Boyle.

"We're all just at the beginning stages of everything," Bazos said.

Obviously it is in the Islanders' best interest to sign Boyle before he hits the open market on July 1, but Bazos said it was too soon to assess the chances of that happening.

"I can say Dan originally was willing to keep all options open," Bazos said, going back to last month when Boyle learned the Sharks would not be bringing him back. "Obviously the Islanders are a young, fast, exciting team. But until we really start to talk more in-depth, it'd be impossible to categorize that."

Advertisement

Boyle, who acquired by San Jose in a trade with Tampa Bay before the 2008 season, leaves the Sharks as the franchise leader for defensemen in goals (68), assists (201) and points (269) in 431 games played.

He has 561 points in 954 career regular-season games, and 70 points in 107 playoff games.